RESEARCH IN

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Module 1: Research in Technical Education:

An Introduction

National Institute of Technical Teachers Training & Research

Chandigarh
 CONTENTS

S. No Page
Learning Outcomes
1. Introduction 1-2
2. Need for Educational Research 2-4
Practice Task 5

Feedback 6

3. Sources of Knowledge 7-9

3.1 Experience 7

3.2 Expert Opinion 7

7
3.3 Reasoning
7
3.3.1 Deductive reasoning
8
3.3.2 Inductive reasoning
3.4 The Scientific Approach to Knowledge Generation 8

4. Educational Research 9-10

4.1 Research: Concept 9

4.2 Educational Research: Concept 10

Practice Task 11
Feedback 12

4.3 Types of Research 13-15

4.3.1 Classification of research on the basis of Purpose 13

Practice Task 16

Feedback 18

4.3.2 Classification of research on the basis of method 19-21

Practice Task 22

Feedback 24
5. Steps in Conducting Research 25-26

Practice Task 27

Feedback 28
References 29-30
 RESEARCH IN TECHNICAL EDUCATION: AN INTRODUCTION

Learning Outcomes
After reading the material, you will be able to:
 Explain the need for undertaking research in technical education
 Enlist questions which can be answered w.r.t various sub-components of technical
education system
 Explain the concept of educational research
 Describe the steps involved in the process of undertaking research in technical
education

1. Introduction
Technical education system is an integral part of higher education and teaching and research
are the two important functions of any institution of higher learning. Educational research is
essential for any individual who joins the profession of teaching which calls forth for knowledge
of the subject matter and knowledge of pedagogy and andragogy as well as understanding of
complex human interaction to optimize learning among the learners. Teaching has been
defined as a continuous stream of decision making to achieve the pre defined instructional
objectives. Decisions are normally based on one’s subjective judgement. Evidence based
decision making can bring lot of improvement in teaching and optimize learning among
learners.

Educational Research can provide laudable support to teachers in various aspects of teaching –
learning and other related activities undertaken by them. For example, research is essential to
understand individual differences among learners, select appropriate methods and media,
select appropriate experiences, select and sequence content, and select appropriate evaluation
techniques. In addition, curriculum design, industry institute interaction, instructional material
development etc. activities would also require research evidence to initiate action to achieve
desired results.

Each discipline or subject per-se requires educational research, as what works best in sciences
or engineering may or may not work at all in humanities and social sciences. The problems
faced by teachers during teaching require systematic problem solving. Instead of engineering
problems, one needs to find evidence based solutions to educational problems. Discipline
based educational research undertaken can thus serve important purposes and benefit the

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learners. In addition, policy makers and administrators can benefit from research in technical
education to formulate context relvant policies and take decisions.

2. Need for Educational Research

At present, the system of higher education, including technical education, is under severe
criticism due to low acceptability of passouts from the system. The system in vogue has failed to
deliver as there has been criticism that there is
– mismatch between demand and supply
– Unnurtured talent
– inadequate access to education
– inadequate development of essential skills and generic skills
– duplication of efforts
– increasing digital divide
– lack of resources and facilities
– inefficient knowledge delivery mechanism etc.
(MHRD, 2005)

There is an urgent need to prepare graduates with new skills, a broad knowledge base and a
range of competencies to enter a more complex and interdependent world, to set internationally
recognized standards among and between nations due to globalization, for instituting
mechanisms for establishing international comparability, for outcome based higher education,
and comparability of educational qualifications (UNESCO,2009). All these factors demand that
quality of higher education needs to be improved.

Educational research can provide laudable support to policy makers, administrators, and
teachers, to make evidence based decisions and improve the quality of technical education.
Policy makers may need research evidence to decide whether autonomy needs to be granted to
technical institutions or not, accreditation of programmes is to be made compulsory or not, how
to ensure that competent and motivated people join teaching profession, what should be the
qualification and experience requirements for different job positions in teaching profession, what
mechanism needs to be followed for selecting students for various type of institutions, how
funding of an institution can be linked to its performance etc. Administrators require research
evidence to take decisions regarding management structure, processes and practices.

A number of questions can be answered through research to facilitate the process of decision
making. Some of these questions are enlisted in the Table 1.

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Table1: Questions research can answer
S.No Sub-Component Questions that can be answered
1. Input • What differences exist among the learners w.r.t physical,
cognitive, social and emotional characteristics?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of learners?
• What is the readiness level of learners to pursue a
programme or a course of study?
• What are the expectations of learners from a programme
or a course or the institution?
2. Curriculum • How many engineers are required in coming ten years?
• What are the competencies required of a civil engineer?
Processes
• Which soft skills are important for different types of
engineers working at different job positions in the
industry?
• What technological changes are expected in ten years?
• How to design the curriculum so as to achieve the desired
course outcomes?
• Which modality is to be preferred to offer the programme-
contact based, online, blended learning approach?
• To what extent the curriculum has been implemented by
the institutions?
• To what extent the desired competencies have been
developed by the specified curriculum ?
3. Instructional • Which instructional strategies are appropriate for teaching
of concepts, principles or theories in a particular course?
Processes
• How to integrate technology in teaching learning to
maximize student learning or enhance access or
efficiency?
• What technology is being integrated in teaching learning
by teachers?
• How active and collaborative learning strategies are used
by teachers?
• What are the reactions of learners towards the
instructional strategies and technology used in teaching
learning of a course or programme?
• What is the teaching effectiveness in technical
institutions?
• What is the level of interaction among teachers and
learners in classrooms?
• How students are evaluated in theory and practical work?
• What techniques of assessment are preferred by teachers
to assess learners performance in theory and practical
work?

• What is the quality of resources used in teaching

learning?
• What is the quality of question papers used in evaluation?
• How do teachers motivate learners?

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 S.No Sub-Component Questions thaty can be answered
4. Resources • How adequate and accessible are the resources(Physical,
information, human and financial) to implement the
curricula for various programmes offered by technical
institutions?
• How optimally the resources are being used by teachers
and students?
• How competent are the human resources to implement
the curricula of various programmes?

5. Management • What are the management processes and practices used

in government and private institutions?
• How decisions are made in the institution?
• How the faculty and staff are recruited in the institutions?
• How do the institutions plan for faculty development?
• How do the the institutions monitor the performance of
faculty and staff?
• What is the academic environment in the technical
institutions?
• What is the level of job satisfaction and stress among
faculty?
• How do the institutions promote collaborative research?
• What are the mechanisms instituted to collaborate with
industry?
• How do the institutions create culture for innovations?
6. Output  What is the extent of development of desired
competencies among passouts from various
programmes?
 What are the jobs offered by the industry to the passouts?
 How do the passouts perform in industyry?
 What are the career paths for graduate engineers?
 How do the passouts keep themselves updated in their
areas of specializations?
 What are the opinions of passouts regarding teaching
effectiveness or relevance of curricula or institution?
7. Linkages with  What mechanisms are effective in strengthening linkages
with world of work?
World of Work
 What are likely benefits of networking with other sister
and other institutions?
institutions  How to ensure maximum benefit from networking?

Different types of research can be undertaken to answer these questions.

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Practice Task
1. Enlist any three major drawbacks in the technical education system.

2. In the given Table, write the purposes research in technical education would serve for policy
makers, administrators and teachers.

S.No Stakeholder Purposes of Research

1. Policy makers

2. Administrators

3. Teachers

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Feedback

1. Three major drawbacks

 Mismatch between demand and supply
 Lack of Quality
 Lack of acceptability of passouts

2. Purposes of Educational Research

S.No Stakeholder Purposes of Research

1. Policy makers  To formulate context relevant policies

 To improve quality of technical education

2. Administrators  To decide about management structures , processes and

practices
 To improve efficiency and effectiveness of institutions or
technical education system
3. Teachers  To select appropriate instructional strategies and
technology
 To improve teaching effectiveness
 To facilitate attainment of desired competenicies by learners

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3. Sources of Knowledge
You acquire knowledge throughout your life through various sources of knowledge. Sources of
knowledge can be broadly classified into (Gay, Mills and Ariasian, 2012):
 Experience
 Expert opinion
 Reasoning
 Scientific method of acquiring knowledge/scientific approach to generation of knowledge

3.1 Experience
One of the major sources of knowledge is experience which you acquire through interaction
with the environment (family, peers, school/college, society). You receive sensory
information and give meaning to that sensory information based upon your previous
experience.and over a period of time develop your personal knowledge. Your attitudes,
values, and beliefs are the result of your interaction with environment. When you make a
statement based on your observation such as I know the colour of flower is red, this
statement can be verified.

3.2 Expert Opinion

You often rely on expert opinion when you are unable to answer some of the questions you
face. As a teacher, you may like to analyze why a student is always commiting mistakes in
spellings. A psychologist or a counsellor may help you in identifying the real problem. In case
of designing instruction for online programme, an instructional designer may help you in
designing the same. What matters is the credibility of the source i.e the expert.

3.3 Reasoning
Deductive and inductive reasoning are the two major kinds of reasoning used by you in
understanding the world around you.

3.3.1 Deductive reasoning is the process of drawing a conclusion that is necessarily

true if the premises are true. For example,
Major Premise: All human beings are mortal.
Minor Premise: Sanjeev is a human being
Conclusion: Therefore, Sanjeev is mortal.
Another simple example is:

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 Major premise: Noble gases are stable.
Minor premise: Neon is a noble gas.
Conclusion: Therefore, neon is stable.
In deductive reasoning, you move from general statement to specific statement based on
logical reasoning.

3.3.2 Inductive reasoning is the form of reasoning in which one tries to arrive at
generalization on the basis of observation of specific instances. It is based on
probabilistic reasoning. For example:you
Management book by Stoner contains a chapter on Motivation
Management by Lazarus conatins a chapter on Motivation
All books on Management contain a chapter on Motivation

3.4 The Scientific Approach to Knowledge Generation

“The goal of any scientific endeavour is to explain, predict, and control phenomena. The
basic assumption is that all behaviours and events are orderly and that they are effects which
have discoverable causes” (Johnson and Christensen, 2008).

Research involves application of scientific method to find solution to problems or answer

questions. Research makes use of both deductive and inductive reasoning. The process
starts with formulation of hypotheses based on certain observations(inductive reasoning),
reasoning out consequences or implications of hypotheses(deductive reasoning) followed by
collection of data or information to verify implications or rejection or acceptance of those
hypotheses.This leads to generation of new knowledge. Further, hypotheses are generated
and tested to add to existing structure of knowledge. The process of research is cyclic and
dynamic as shown in Fig. 1 (CPSC, 1984). It is most reliable way of acquiring or generating
knowledge.

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 Casual Generation of
Observation Hypotheses

Implications
Existing of
Structure of Hypotheses
knowledge

Operationally
Specific
Testing
Situation

Fig. 1: Scientific Method of Acquiring Knowledge(CPSC, 1984)

4. Educational Research

4.1 Research: Concept

Let us see how this term research has been defined. There are numerous definitions. A few
are given below:

Nature of research can best be explained in the words of Mouly (1978) . “Research is best
conceived as the process of arriving at dependable solutions to problems through the
planned and systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. It is a most important
tool for advancing knowledge, for promoting progress, and for enabling man to relate more
effectively to his environment to accomplish his purposes, and to resolve his conflicts”.

Kerlinger (1970) defines scientific research as “systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical
investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relation among natural
phenomena”.

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“Research is seeking through methodical processes to add to one’s body of knowledge and,
hopefully, to that of others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts and insights” (Howard and
Sharpe, 1983).

“It is a systematic way of asking questions or a systematic method of inquiry. The purpose of
research is to obtain knowledge or information that pertains to some question” (Drew,
Hardman and Hosp, 2008).

In simple words, “It is systematic, empirical and critical investigation and involves application
of scientific method to finding solutions to the problems” (Gay, Mills and Ariasian, 2012).

4.2 Educational Research: Concept

From the definitions of research, one can come to the definition of educational research.
According to Best (1970) “Research is considered to be a formal, systematic, intensive
process of carrying on the scientific method of analysis”. With reference to education,
research is identified with a better understanding of the teaching-learning process, and the
conditions under which it is most successfully carried on.

“Educational Research involves application of principles of science of behaviour to the

problems of teaching and learning within the formal educational framework and to the
clarification of issues having direct or indirect bearing on these concepts” (Mouly, 1978).

One can conclude in the words of Gay, Mills and Ariasian (2012) that “educational research
is a formal, systematic application of scientific method to the study of educational problems”.

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Practice Task

1.Which of the following is the most reliable source of acquiring knowledge?

a) Experience
b) Expert opinion
c) Reasoning
d) Scientifc method

2. Explain as to how inductive and deductive reasoning are used in research.

3. Write two important characteristics of research

4. Below are enlisted few examples of work undertaken by different individuals.Which of the
following are examples of research?

Yes/No
a) Mr. Singla reviewed literature on e-
learning and wrote a paper
b) Ms Sangeeta collected information
from teachers working in technical
institutions in Chandigarh regarding the
problems faced in teaching learning
and evaluation of students performance
and wrote a paper and sent it to
Director Technical Education with
suggestions for actions reuired.
c) Dr. Singh wrote a note to the principal
regarding his observations of student
behaviour.
d) Dr Gupta collected information from the
employers regarding the job
responsibilities of graduate engineers
in Automobile industry and prepared
competence profile for design of
curriculum.
e) Mr Sodhi wrote an article on MOOCs.

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Feedback

1. Two characteristics of research are:

 Systematic
 Involves application of scientific method

2. Inductive reasoning is used to formulate hypotheses and deductive reasoning is used for
stating implications of the hypothesis.

Yes/No
f) Mr. Singla reviewed literature on No
e-learning and wrote a paper
g) Ms Sangeeta collected
information from teachers working Yes
in technical institutions in
Chandigarh regarding the
problems faced in teaching
learning and evaluation of
students performance and wrote
a paper and sent it to Director
Technical Education with
suggestions for actions reuired.
h) Dr. Singh wrote a note to the No
principal regarding his
observations of student
behaviour.
i) Dr Gupta collected information Yes
from the employers regarding the
job responsibilities of graduate
engineers in Automobile industry
and prepared competence profile
for design of curriculum.
j) Mr Sodhi wrote an article on No
MOOCs.

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4.3 Types of Research

There are two ways of classifying research. One way is to classify research on the basis of
its purpose i.e. the degree to which the research findings are applicable to an educational
setting and the degree to which they are generalizable. The other way is to classify
research on the basis of the method employed in research.

4.3.1 Classification of research on the basis of purpose: Taking purpose as the

basis of classification, research is considered to be of four types, basic, applied, action
and evaluation research. This is illustrated in Fig. 2

Types of Research

Based on Purpose

Basic Applied Action Evaluation

Fig. 2: Classification of Research by Purpose

Basic research
The purpose of basic research is to add to the existing body of knowledge by
understanding a process or a phenomena in a controlled situation. It is concerned with
development of theory and refinement of theory. For example: how do people learn?
What is the effect of positive and negative reinforcement on learning? These questions
can be answered by studying the phenomenon in laboratory conditions with rigorous
control of extraneous variables.

Applied research
“The major purpose of applied research is to answer practical and useful questions
about policies, programmes, projects, procedures or organizations” (Mason and
Bramble, 1989). It is undertaken to test a theory or evaluate its usefulness in a given
educational setting. Applied research is thus, undertaken to solve an immediate
practical problem. It aims at finding what works best. The applied scientists try to test
the findings of basic research in applied setting.

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Educational research and development
Education research & development is concerned with the development of effective
products for use in educational institutions. “Educational research and development is
a process used to develop and validate educational products” (Borg and Gall, 1979). It
takes the findings generated by basic and applied research and uses them to build
tested products and processes that are ready for operational use in the educational
setting. Educational R&D thus bridges the gap between educational research and
educational practice. Examples could be the development of curriculum design reports
(curriculum guides or programme of studies for a technician programme), learning
materials, management systems and teacher training materials. These products are
prepared, field-tested and revised so as to attain the pre-specified level of
effectiveness.

Action research
Halsey (1972) defines action research as “it is small-scale intervention in the
functioning of real world and a close examination of the effects of such intervention”.
Action research is concerned with the solution of a specific problem, in a local situation
and is conducted by a person (the teacher) who is to use the findings of the research. It
is thus,
 situational (problem pertaining to a particular situation)
 participatory (individuals participating in the research are also concerned with
implementing its findings)
 self-evaluative
 aims at solving a specific problems. The results of this kind of research are not
generalizable to other situations.

Action research is often undertaken by teachers to determine the effectiveness of a

specific teaching intervention in a particular setting.

Evaluation research
The purpose of evaluation research is “to collect systematic data to help educators to
make decisions regarding the merit, value or worth of an educational programme,
product or techniques” (Borg and Gall, 1979).

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The evaluation can either be formative or summative. The function of formative
evaluation is to collect data about educational programmes while they are still being
developed. While the summative evaluation is conducted to determine how worthwhile
the final programme is, especially in comparison with other competing programmes.

The characteristics of types of research based on purpose are given in Table 3.

Table 1 – Characteristics of Basic, Applied, Action and Evaluation Research

Types of Characteristics
Research
Basic Research  Primary purpose is extension of knowledge and
development of theory
 Rigorous control of variables. Generally conducted
in laboratory settings
Applied  Primary purpose is testing of a theory or solving a
Research practical problem
 Development research, a kind of applied research
meant for development of effective products for use
in educational institution
Action Research  Primary purpose is to solve immediate classroom
problems
 Conducted for the purpose of solving specific
problem in specific situations
 Researchers also implements the findings of
research.
Evaluation  It is initiated by someone” s need for a decision.
Research  Evaluation is often done for a limited purpose and
thus, its results cannot be generalized.
 It yield data concerning the worth, merit or value of
educational phenomena.

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Practice Task

1. Enlist the four different types of research based upon purpose.

2. Differentiate among the three types of research based upon purpose.

3. Write any two examples of Research & Dvelopment.

4. Write any two situations where evaluation research can be used.

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Feedback next page

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Feedback

1. Types of research based upon purpose

 Basic research
 Applied Research
 Action Research
 Evaluation research

2. Differences among different types of research

Basic Research Applied Research Action Research

Generate new knoledge Solve a practical problem Solve problem in a specific
situation
Coducted in a laboratory Carried out in field to test Conducted in real situation
setting with rigorous generalizability of findings of with no controls
controls basic research

Generalizability of findings Generalizability of findings is Generalizability of findings is

is low high low

3. Two examples of Research & Development

• Development of self learning material

• Development of CAI package for students

4. Two situations where evaluation research can be used

• Evaluation of online programme in MBA

• Evaluation of faculty development policy

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4.3.2 Classification of research on the basis of method : On the basis of method,
research can be classified into historical, descriptive correlation, ex-post facto and
experimental and evaluation.

Types of Research

Based on Method

Historical Descriptive Correlation Ex-post Facto Experimental

Case Study Survey Content Analysis

Fig. 3: Classification of Research by Method

(Adopted from Colombo Plan Staff College “Developing Skills in Technician Education
Research” , Module1, 1984)

Historical Research
Borg (1963) defines Historical research as the “systematic and objective location,
evaluation and synthesis of evidence in order to establish facts and draw conclusions
about past events”.
The purpose of historical research is to arrive at conclusions concerning trends, causes
or effects of past occurrences. This may help in explaining present events and
anticipating future events.

Descriptive Research
“Descriptive research is concerned with conditions or relationships that exist, practices
that are held, processes that are going on, effects that are being felt, or trends that are
developing” (Best, 1970).

Descriptive research studies deal with collecting data and testing hypotheses or
answering questions concerning the current status of the subject of study. It deals with
the question `WHAT IS” of a situation.

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Correlation Research
Correlation research aims at determining the degree of relationship between two or
more quantifiable variables. Secondly, the relationship thus determined could be used
for making predictions.

Ex-post Facto Research/ Causal Comparative Research

There is some research where both the effect and alleged cause have already
occurred and are studied by the researcher in retrospect. Such research is referred to
as EX-POST-FACTO (“ After the fact” ). Kerlinger (1973) defined Ex-post-Factor
research as: “Systematic, empirical inquiry in which the scientist does not have direct
control of independent variables because their manifestations have already occurred or
because they are inherently not manipulable”.

Thus, in ex-post facto research or causal comparative research the researcher has no
control on the variables or he cannot manipulate the variables (independent variables)
which cause a certain effect (dependent variables) being measured. It attempts to
determine reasons or causes for the current status of the phenomena under study.
The procedures involved in this study are quite different than those in descriptive
research.

Experimental Research
The primary characteristic of experimental research is manipulation of at least one
variable and control over the other relevant variables so as to measure its effect on
one or more dependent variables. The variable which is manipulated is also called an
independent variable, a treatment, an experimental variable or the cause. Some of the
examples of an independent variable could be: method of instruction, use of
reinforcement, corrective feedback, type of learning material and size of class.

Experimental research will always have two or more groups for comparison on the
dependent variables. It is the only type of research which can establish true cause and
effect relationship.

Let us now quickly summarize the major features of types of research based on
methods.

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Table 2: Characteristics of Research Based on Method

Types of Characteristics
Research
A. Historical  A description of past events or facts
 Data not collected through questionnaires, but gathered
from relevant records and meeting eye-witnesses
B. Descriptive  Testing hypotheses or answering questions related to
current status of the phenomena
 Data typically collected through questionnaires, interviews
or observations.
C. Co-relation  Determining the degree of relationship between two or
more quantifiable variables.

D. Ex-post Facto  Establishing tentative cause and effect relationships

 Independent variable or cause is not manipulated,
because cause and effect have already occurred.
E. Experimental  At least one variable manipulated to study effect on
dependent variable(s).
 Groups randomly formed to study comparisons
 Control on variables exercised
 Used for establishing true cause and effect relationship.

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Practice Task

1. Classify the research studies

S.No Research Study Type of Reserch

1. Analysis of Normal training in pre partition era
2. Teachers” attitude towards integration of
technology in classroom
3. Reactions of final year students of Post
graduation in Engineering towards existing
system of examination
4. Effect of blended learning on the achievement
in the subject of Structural Analysis
5. Comparaive effectiveness of Lecture and Jig
Saw method of instruction for students of
Electrical Engineering
6. Intelligence, Aptitude and Learning Style of
First Year Students of Mechanical Engineering
in the State of Haryana
7. Effect of pre-service training on teaching
effectiveness of teachers working in
Elementary schools in Uttra Khand
8. Correlates of academic achievement at
graduation level

2. Differentiate between ex-post facto and experimental research.

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Feedback next page

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Feedback

1. Classify the research studies

S.No Research Study Type of Reserch

1. Analysis of Normal training in pre partition era Historical research
2. Teachers” attitude towards integration of Descriptive research
technology in classroom
3. Reactions of final year students of Post Descriptive research
graduation in Engineering towards existing
system of examination
4. Effect of blended learning on the achievement Experimental research
in the subject of Structural Analysis
5. Comparaive effectiveness of Lecture and Jig Experimental research
Saw method of instruction for students of
Electrical Engineering
6. Intelligence, Aptitude and Learning Style of Descriptive research
First Year Students of Mechanical Engineering
in the State of Haryana
7. Effect of pre-service training on teaching Ex-post facto research
effectiveness of teachers working in
Elementary schools in Uttra Khand
8. Correlates of academic achievement at Correlation research
graduation level

2. Differences between ex-post facto and experimental research

In ex-post facto research, both independent and dependent variable have already occurred
and plausible cause and effect relationship is studied. While in experimental research,
independent variable is manipulated by researcher to establish true cause and effect
relationships.

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5. Steps in Conducting Research
There are four major steps in conducting research in technical education. These include (CPSC,
1984):
 Selecting and defining the research problem
 Describing the methodology of research
 Collecting the data
 Analyzing and interpreting the result

(i) Selecting and Defining the Research Problem

Selecting and defining the research problem is the most difficult and important step in research.
This involves:
 Identifying and stating the problem in specific terms
 Identifying the variables in the problem situation and defining them adequately
 Generating tentative guesses (hypotheses) about the relation of the variables or in
other words the solution of the problem
 Evaluating the problem for its researchability.

(ii) Describing Methodology of Research

Describing methodology of research requires a researcher to select an appropriate research
design most suited to the nature and purpose of the research study, select the subjects on
whom the study has to be conducted, and select or develop instruments for measuring the
variables in the study. Thus, it involves:
 Identifying the method of research
 Specify the subjects of study (e.g. technician teachers or technician students, etc.)
 Selecting an adequate representative sample of subjects
 Selecting/constructing valid and reliable instruments for measuring the variables in
the problems
 Describing the procedure to be employed for conducting the research study
 Select statistical techniques for analysis of data

(iii) Collecting Data

This step involves conducting the study as per the designed procedure (manipulating the
experimental variables in the case of an experimental method), administering instruments for

25
measuring variables and/or gathering information through observation. It also involves
tabulating the data, thus collected for the purpose of analysis.

(iv) Analysis and Interpreting Results

The data are summarized, in other words analyzed to provide information for testing the
hypotheses. Appropriate statistical methods of analysis- descriptive or inferential , are used to
test the hypotheses. You can perform the analysis manually, by using a hand calculator or a
computer as per the demands of the problem, and the available facilities. After completing the
analysis, results are summarized. The results are interpreted in the light of the hypotheses
and/or the research problem. The results are discussed in relation to: the existing body of
knowledge, consistencies and inconsistencies with the results of other research studies, and
conclusions are drawn. This is followed by writing the research report.

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Practice Task
1. Enlist the steps involved in undertaking educational research

27
Feedback
1. Steps involved in undertaking educational research
I. Selecting and defining the research problem
II. Describing the methodology of research
III. Collecting the data
IV. Analyzing and interpreting the result

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References
 Best, J W.(1970). Research in Education. New Jerssey: Prentice Hall.
 Halsey,AH. (1973). Educational Priority, Vol.I:EPA Problems and Policies. London:
HMSO.
 Borg, WR. Educational Research: An Introduction. (1963). London: Longman.
 Borg, WR. And Gall, Meredith, D. (!983). Educational Research: An Introduction.
London: Longman.
 CPSC (1984) Developing Skills in Technician Education: Research Module 1, Colombo
Plan Staff College for Technician Edcation, Singapore.
 Drew, CJ; Hardman, ML and Hosp, JL.(2008). Designing & Conducting Research in
Education.Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
 Emanuel J. Mason and William J. Bramble (1989). Understanding and Conducting
Research: Applications in Education and the Behavioral Sciences. New York: McGraw-
Hill Book Company.
https://www.google.co.in/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22William+J.+Bramble%
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 Gay, LR; Mills, GE. and Ariasian, PW (2012). Educational research: Competencies for
Analysis & Application. New York: Pearson.
 Johnson, R.B. and Christensen, L.B. (2008) Educational Research: Quantitative,
Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. 3rd Edition, Los Angeles: Sage Publications, Inc.,
 Kerlinger, FN (1970). Foundations of Behavioural Research. Holt, Rinehart and Winston
 Kerlinger, FN (1973). Foundations of Behavioural Research. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
 MHRD (2005) National Mission on Education through Information & Communication
Technology: Mission Document. New Delhi: Ministry of Human Resource Development.
 UNESCO (2009) Trends in Global higher Education: Tracking an Academic
Revolution.Paris: UNESCO.

Web resources for further reading

 Educational research.
http://archive.mu.ac.in/myweb_test/ma%20edu/Research%20Methodology%20-
%20III.pdf
 Morrison, Marlene What do we mean by educational research?
www.corwin.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/9629_017546Ch1.pdf
 Opie, Clive. What is educational research.
https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/9464_011245Ch1.pdf

Videos

 Introduction to Education Research. https://youtu.be/PXhdEWfWepk

 Live discussion on "Educational Research: Concept, Definition, Characteristics and
Types" https://youtu.be/RI-KJS_Q0U4
 What is education research. https://youtu.be/eWNpvaIqjKo
 MIS Research Methodologies. http://misresearchmethodologies.blogspot.com
 What is educational research. https://youtu.be/5ucLcy_3jZo
 Research Methodology: Introduction. https://youtu.be/IZLn9_PA_4s

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 Action Research In Education Part 1 https://youtu.be/JFONu9J_HJ8
 https://youtu.be/0_KOcaLKV5s Part 2
 https://youtu.be/c_FSv8hcpaY Part 3
 Action Research in Education. https://youtu.be/TOrQ-sVTuE0

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